Israeli Couscous with Chicken and Peas
Toasted pearl couscous simmered in lemon chicken broth with Parmesan, peas, and shredded chicken.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/3 cups Israeli (pearl) couscous
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon zest zest from 1 to 2 large lemons *See Notes below
- Juice from 1 large lemon about ¼ cup
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ to ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for serving
- 4 scallions finely sliced including both white and green parts
- 1 cup frozen peas thawed for about an hour before cooking this recipe
- 2 cups shredded and chopped cooked chicken rotisserie cooked or other cooking method
Instructions
Toast couscous:
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add couscous and stir frequently until lightly toasted, about 2 to 3 minutes.Simmer couscous:
Pour in chicken broth, add lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper; stir to blend. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low and simmer until couscous is al dente, roughly 8 minutes. (Some liquid should remain for the sauce.)Mix in ingredients:
Mix in ½ cup Parmesan cheese, scallions, peas, and chicken until thoroughly combined. If the sauce appears too thin, incorporate an additional ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.Serve with Parmesan:
Serve right away, topping with extra grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
*See Notes below: Use zest from 1 to 2 large lemons.